


With little hope

by Jmt91



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Archdemons (Dragon Age), F/M, Fluff, Haven (Dragon Age), Mages and Templars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-04-24 20:59:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19181269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jmt91/pseuds/Jmt91
Summary: It was an impossible survival - they should be dead. All of them. Yet here they stood, broken and battered, but alive. But it's after their escape from Haven that Cullen learns the cost. The Herald stayed behind.





	With little hope

"What do you mean she stayed behind?!" Cullen bellowed, silencing the survivors. They had just made it up the mountain, past the tree line when Seeker Cassandra gave command for two of the inquisition's mages to shoot a signal. It was then that the entire valley shook as a trebuchet caused another avalanche - this time enveloping the whole of Haven. With Adaelin in the centre of it all. 

"She did what she needed to do," Cassandra replied cooly, although Cullen could tell she wasn't happy about it either. He couldn't help but think of her down there, alone, with that army surrounding her. He couldn't help but blame himself. Why didn't he check before leading the survivors through the mountain pass? Why didn't he question the Seeker when she appeared on her own? It was his own weakness and desperation for survival that she stood alone now. That's if she were ever alive at all.

"You let her stay there, with that  _thing?"_ his hands were shaking now, unable to control the conniptions which erupted from him. A soft hand rested on his shoulder, squeezing gently and pulling him back but Cullen refused the comfort. He yanked his arm away - not even bothering to turn to see who it was.

"Would you have preferred the arch demon to follow us? To kill us all?' 

"We could have at least discussed it!" Cullen pleaded, his hands resting on the back of his head, pulling at the hair tightly. "There could have been another way... There must have been." He was pacing now, backwards and forwards, left and right. All eyes were upon him but he didn't care. All he cared about was her. 

Before giving Cassandra - or any of the others who had survived - a chance to respond, Cullen pulled a fur coat over his shoulders and turned on his heel. 

"If I do not return by morning," Cullen paused his steps, "assume I am also lost."

The wind crashed against his cheeks like a thousand tiny knives. The snow was deep - almost up to his waist now. The walk back to Haven took longer than expected, Adaelin had dropped an entire mountain on the valley. The path almost completely hidden, the buildings destroyed or buried, the freezing temperature dropping every minute. This truly was an impossible task. Any rational person would accept that she was gone and return to help the living. Yet here he stood, wading through the ever deepening snow. 

Whenever Cullen thought of giving up, an anger built up within him and forced him to go faster. He had to see her again: he hadn't even told her how he... It's funny really. When they first met, they despised each other. But as Cullen worked alongside that stubborn, fiery mage, a fondness grew. Soon, arguments turned to laughter and discontentment turned to serenity. It sickens Cullen to think that, had this happened when they had just met, he would have likely left Adaelin to her fate.  

He wasn't far from Haven when he heard something. A whisper on the wind. There it was again, louder this time. The snow had thinned and he was able to run now, albeit awkwardly. He desperately tried to see but there was nothing but the faint silhouette of a cliff face ahead of him. If it wasn't for the moonlight, he wouldn't be able to see anything at all.

A scream now, from behind the rock face ahead of him.

"Adaelin!" He yelled, hoping she would hear over the wind. Another scream and a ball of fire shot up into the sky. "Adaelin!" Cullen yelled again, unsheathing his sword, "where are you?!" 

Just as Cullen reached the rock face, a terror was sent crashing past him by another fireball and landed in the snow. Without hesitation, Cullen lunged forwards and sent his blade deep into the demon's chest. The creature let out a pitiful shriek and went limp.

"C...Cullen?" A weak voice called and Cullen turned on his heel. His eyes searched the darkness blindly. He could just make out a dark outline in the snow, lying in front of a cave entrance the cliff was hiding. 

"Adaelin," Cullen called again and reached for the figure. She was shivering terribly, and Cullen could make out deep cuts across her chest. Warm blood tickled his fingers as he held her close. "Thank the Maker, you're still alive." 

"You... You came back... You," Adaelin coughed and gasped in pain, "idiot." Cullen laughed a weak laugh. Even now she was goading him.

"Oh, I'm the idiot am I?" He lifted her off of the ground and she let out a shriek. Cullen held her tightly until her breathing calmed once more. 

"Yes," she hummed.

"I'm not the one who took on an arch demon on my own."

"But you came... Back. I didn't want... Want anyone to come back," Cullen could feel the sadness in her voice. He quickened his pace. 

"Someone had to save you from your own foolishness," he was trying his hardest to sound light-hearted but he knew she would see through it. She was losing blood, fast. Her skin was pale and her body was shivering terribly.

"But you could have got hurt. You could... Could have died."

"That doesn't matter, what matters is you're alive."

"Not... Not for much longer."

Cullen stopped in his tracks and held her tightly. "Don't you say that. Don't you dare! You are going to live, we're not far... There are healers who... You're going to live, Maker damn it!" Cullen was shivering too now, and he clenched his eyes shut as a tear trickled down his cheek. 

"Still so... Dramatic," Adaelin laughed, or tried to, but it quickly turned into a wince. 

As Cullen marched higher up the mountains, his body struggled. His arms were burning and his legs ached. Even with the cold sweat poured down his face now. The first light of the sun was just creeping over the mountain. They will be leaving soon. With a grunt, he pushed himself as much as he could.

Just when Cullen thought he couldn't go on anymore, he could see the camp. And what a glorious sight it was! 

"You see," he panted, slowing his pace. "I told you I'd get you back," Cullen smiled. "Adaelin?" He said after a moment. No response. "Adaelin?" He gave her body a shake. Still nothing. Was she breathing? Be couldn't tell. He could see people from the camp pointing his way. 

"We're here!" Cullen dropped to ground, and shook Adaelin again. There was shouting in the distance now but Cullen was only focused on her. He pulled his coat off and wrapped it around her then placed his head on her chest. Why had he not done this straight away? Maker curse him, he truly was a fool! Whilst still scorning himself, Cullen listened carefully for any sign of life. She was still breathing, but only just. He let out a deep sigh of relief. 

With one last push, he grabbed the limp body and rushed towards the others. 

"Please don't... Please don't die," he panted, pulling her head close to his and planting a kiss. "You can't.." 

"Commander!" A voice called from ahead. Cullen stumbled to the ground, his body has failed him. Unable to control it anymore, he let out a sob. He clutched Adaelin tightly, his head leaning against hers. 

"You must live..." He sobbed. "Because I... I love you." Just as a group of soldiers, mages and healers crowded around them, he felt Adaelin's body twitch. Cullen lurched back to see her eyes open and a weak smile spreading across her face.

"I love you too."

 

 


End file.
